Apocalyptic Rebirth: With a repairman system space, she rises again.-Chapter 593: Hide and seek.

The news of Hades Quinn’s arrival had traveled through Kingsbridge faster than a radio signal.

Inside a half-finished command post made of shipping containers, Vicente had received the news from Poe. Not only was he made aware of Hades’ arrival but his whereabouts too.

It had made Vicente’s men anxious. They were tough, but they weren’t stupid. They knew where the good stuff came from. Half of Vicente’s crew was currently wearing heat suits. They were wary of the mist lately, so they had not taken any trips inside.

All of their food was provided by Fortress four, along with every other supply they were using. Those without houses had even borrowed tents from Dominic.

The benefits of being on friendly terms with Fortress four currently outweighed any animosity Vicente and Victoria had toward Sunshine.

Vicente was not blind to the changes. He could feel the expectations of his men with every glance, and he knew that if not for fear of crossing him, many of them would already be wearing iron shirts and holding hands with the soldiers of Fortress four.

He had smiled stiffly and asked them all to set off for Kingsbridge. Now, they were waiting for an invitation to meet Hades.

Down at the registration center, the air was thick with the smell of sawdust and the low hum of the generators. Hades and Dominic were standing near a stack of supplies that were being offloaded, deep in a conversation that looked far from pleasant.

"Should I be worried that Vicente has been coming around here?" Dominic asked. "It’s almost like as if he wants to move here permanently."

Hades chuckled. "It should not be shocking. Ferry Island must not feel like home anymore. My wife has really made it hot for him."

"Then there is the problem of the survivors," Dominic said, wiping sweat from his forehead with a grimy sleeve. "The river did not dry up in this deadly heat. It remains toxic and dangerous. Every day, people risk their lives to cross over from the other side, from Ironwood city. We’ve got boats coming in every hour, filled with sick and hungry folks. The numbers are going to triple by next week. We’re going to run out of tents."

"We’ll get more," Hades said, his voice like grinding stone. "You know Sunshine’s policy; we don’t turn away survivors. Now that Babel city is practically ours, we have room."

"Still, we cannot keep accepting everyone in here! Babel will be filled to the maximum within a month or two. We need to expand further." Dominic suggested.

Hades nodded. "I like how you think, we are expanding further that is for sure. Ironwood city could be our next stop or Stonebridge Crossing. It depends on what my wife has in mind."

Dominic thought of another thing he had forgotten to mention. "You should know, this place has many aspiring merchants. A whole group of them want a formal ’trade cooperation.’ They want to buy tech directly from inside Westbrook and ferry it across to ironwood. They’re basically begging to be our business partners."

Before Hades could respond, the low growl of a squeaking engine cut through the noise. A black, shabbily reinforced truck skidded to a halt just a few feet away, kicking up a cloud of grit.

Vicente stepped out. He was dressed in a police vest and tactical gear that Sunshine gave him. His eyes locked onto Hades immediately. There was a predatory grace to the way he moved, the kind of confidence that came from being the biggest fish in a very small, very dangerous pond.

"Hades Quinn," Vicente said, spreading his arms wide as if welcoming an old friend. "I must say, it is a pleasure to finally meet the man behind the legend." He stretched out his hand.

He did not show any displeasure for having been kept waiting longer than he appreciated. In fact, he had lost all patience and driven over on his own.

Hades didn’t hesitate. He took the hand, his grip firm enough to test the other man’s mettle. "What a coincidence that we are both here at the same time."

Vicente wore a sharp smirk, his eyes dancing with amusement. "Well, it is a jointly owned territory. Your wife and I made a deal, after all." He looked around, his gaze lingering on the vehicles and the chaos of the registration center. "Actually, I was looking for her. Where is the Mrs. I want to buy some of those weapons"

"My wife is not here, you can talk business with me," Hades said flatly.

Vicente chuckled, a low, rasping sound. "My mistake. I got the impression that she was the one in charge."

Hades didn’t flinch. Instead, a tiny, dangerous smirk played at the corners of his mouth. "We both are. And unlike my wife who has the patience of a saint, I would rather not waste time playing hide and seek. I want King’s Bridge and Ferry Island become our territories. Completely."

The air in the clearing suddenly felt five degrees colder.

The silence that followed was suffocating. Dominic took a sudden, intense interest in the clipboard in his hands, his pen scratching nervously against the paper. The guards nearby shifted their weight, their hands drifting closer to their holsters. A refugee nearby accidentally dropped a metal bowl, and the clang made three people jump as if a gun had gone off.

The tension was broken, oddly enough, by the sound of wealthy people bickering.

The first batch of billionaires had returned from their property tour. Jon led the group, looking remarkably calm compared to the others. Behind him, Jin looked like he had just watched his childhood pet get hit by a car.

"I’m done," Jin announced, walking straight up to Hades. "I’ve decided to give up on the property. It’s not a house anymore; it’s a very expensive pile of bricks with a hole where the chandelier used to be and a bunch of small meteors."

Sheldon, who was trudging behind them, let out a derisive hiss. "Oh, please, Jin. You’re only giving up because there is nothing to salvage.... just start from scratch."

Jon, who had only tagged along to make sure his friends didn’t create problems shrugged. "Actually, I think I’ll buy Jin’s plot. I’ll redevelop it. Maybe put up a row of shops. This place is promising, right?"

Jin blinked, then smacked Jon playfully in the chest. "That’s actually a brilliant idea! Why didn’t I think of that?"

The billionaires started laughing, a surreal sound. But as they chuckled, they finally noticed Vicente standing in the center of the clearing. They saw Hades’ icy stare and Vicente’s coiled, snake-like posture.

The laughter died instantly.

"Oh," Jon whispered, his eyes darting between the two. "We’re... uh... we’re just going to go over there. Far over there. Please continue with whatever you were doing."